Tentative Diagnosis During a Pandemic

I'm new to the group and very glad that I found this resource, as the journey has not been an easy one.

Inflammatory and autoimmune disease

I've been sick with different autoimmune conditions since my early twenties, and started having a lot of joint issues in my mid-twenties. Repeated injuries even from low-impact activities, surgeries to deal with torn cartilage, etc. Then, in late 2019, I had a severe bout of sickness: digestive issues, uveitis in one eye, joint pain, and inflammation, abdominal pain, the works.

Finding a good rheumatologist

It took months of doctor appointments and tests to get answers: endometriosis, a small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and psoriatic arthritis. All three causing different symptoms and making life miserable. Luckily a nutritionist helped me go on a diet to get rid of the SIBO, and my gynecologist is helping me manage the endo. The PsA was the hardest diagnosis, because I don't have a history of psoriasis and tested negative for the HLA-B27 gene. My dad has nail psoriasis and I started having symptoms of that, as well as enthesitis along with the joint problems. I had to try out a couple of doctors, but finally found a good rheumatologist who was willing to put all the pieces together and start me on Humira to try and prevent any more joint injuries and permanent damage. That medicine combined with meloxicam has also helped a lot with the pain.

Dealing with isolation

It's been a learning experience, that's for sure. One of the hardest parts has been dealing with the isolation of chronic illness along with the isolation of the pandemic. I'd love to spend more time watching movies with friends, but that's not possible right now. It's also hard being the young person with chronic health issues when most of my friends are living in good health.

How do the other young people in this group manage the emotional impact of it?